Elimination Diet

[Sweetbabs]

OK so my dd hates everything that I eat that is healthy. I can not take pre-natal vitamins cause that to she hates. I have been trying to introduce more healthy veggies into my diet and it changes my milk so much she does not want to nurse. My questions is am I going to have to live off of Hamburger helper and sandwiches for the next 6 months. Dose anyone have any ideas as to what I may be able to do. As of right now I am trying to get my milk back up from her not wanting to nurse cause I have been eating hummus and tabuli. She is wetting less diapers and I am trying to eliminate everything that she hates. So far I have Milk, pre-natal- vitamins, feta cheese, an d cucumbers.Now that the holidays are coming up I am going to have to pass of all the thing I once loved. Green beans, garlic laced ham rolls cranberry sauce. I think she hates anything that I have not been eating this whole time. She was gaining weight with no problem but I want her to get healthy well balanced milk from me and right now I just do not think she is getting it. DO you think I should talk to her Dr. about putting her on a vitamin? I do not mind doing this for her but just want to see if anyone has any suggestions as to what I may be able to do. Oh by the way me dd is 6 months old and just now really starting to react to what I eat. It never use to bother her and if it did it was not this bad.

[tifttu]

Let me start by saying that she IS getting healthy well balanced milk from you...even with hamburger helper and sandwiches.

The rest I'm a little confused by the rest of it. It sounds like you're using a lot of garlic and some babies can definitely taste a difference in milk with large amounts of garlic or other strong flavors, but if it's food you were eating while pregnant she should actually prefer those flavors. What do you mean by "reacting" to everything?

Also, you mentioned getting your milk back, did she just come off a nursing strike?

I really don't think at 6mos she's goingto start disliking your milk. My guess is that there is something else going on. Also, at 6mos she's not going to have as many wet diapers as a newborn, at least I don't think mine did.

[Sweetbabs]

Well I have been struggling to get her to nurse for some time. I just recently after some good detective work found out that the pre-natal vitamins that the pharmacy gave me were changing the taste of my milk. It has been a hard three weeks trying to figure out why she was not nursing and just when I thought I had it. I went out and bought hummus, tabuli and feta cheese to make wraps and I think that is the reason she has stopped nursing this time around. SO what your saying is that if I normally do not eat it then it can turn her off to nursing?? What I mean by reacting is that When I eat or ingest something that changes my milk she is supper fussy wont, eat wont nap and wakes excessively at night to nurse. She also refuses to drink formula.

[tifttu]

While it may be that she doesn't like some of those strong flavors, it really sounds more like teething. I know some babies can be really particular, but I doubt that what you eat will really turn her off of nursing. I know milk does change flavor with a varied diet, but most babies like that from what I've read. I can't tell that either of mine cared what I ate unless it was something they had a food sensitivity to.

I know this sounds harsh, but if she's nursing at night, the milk can't be THAT nasty to her and if she won't take formula either, she's not THAT hungry, you know? I would try some motrin before resorting to an all hamburger helper diet. 6mos is when both of mine started teething and it was tough on both of them even before I could see any changes with their gums.

[Sweetbabs]

Motrin does not help either. I thought the same thing at the start of the week so I drugged her thinking that would make it better. Did nothing for her. She seemed even worse.
I also tried Tylenol thinking maybe she does not like Mortin and the same thing happened. I also tried Orajel and nothing there too. Wet frozen wash cloths nothing. Teething rings nothing. After all week trying to treat her for teething nothing helped.

[tifttu]

Have you been able to pinpoint any specific types of food that make it worse? Is it just strong flavors like lots of garlic/onion, or cruciferous veggies like cauliflower and broccolii? Is she gassy or spitting up more? Does Mylicon help at all?

[Sweetbabs]

I still am not sure but I have to think that it is the hummus and tabui or tacos that I had this week. Tacos are something I have always ate thought and she has never acted like this from me eating tacos so It has to be the Hummus, tabui, feta cheese or cucumbers. I had pizza this week to but that is also something I have always ate so I do not think it is that. I don't really eat broccolii and I hate cauliflower. Yes I have tried Mylicon and it also does not seem to help. She has gas but it by no means seems to be excessive or bother her. She has not been spitting up a lot actually come to think of it she almost never spits up now and for her that is almost unheard of cause she does suffer from G.E.R.D. I know she is teething but then again if it was teething pain the things I tried earlier in the week should have helped right??? I can feel her bottom left tooth but have never seen a baby have teething pain this crazy before. She seems hungry at the breast but pulls off and cries. I thought it also might be over active let down so I pumped to get let down started but that also did not work.

[tifttu]

Well, with DS, teething was a nightmare. Motrin took him to the point that I didn't want to run screaming from the house, but he just didn't handle it well. I lost a lot of weight when he started getting teeth because the only thing that really helped was pushing him in the stroller. When the weather was bad I even pushed him around the house. It was miserable for both of us. I don't know if that's what's going on with yours or if it's the new foods. Honestly, it could be some of both. The symptoms you're describing definitely sound like teething and I would continue to try some motrin, especially at night. Some swear by teething tabs, so that's something to consider too. They didn't help my kiddos, but that doesn't mean they won't help yours.

Maybe it's one of those things that will just clear up. I can't believe I'm the only one posting on this thread so far. I'm really hoping some one else chimes in with some fresh ideas. I hope you both get some relief soon!

[Sweetbabs]

Well thanks for your help. I think it may be the food more then the teething cause today I did not eat any of the offending foods and she is doing better. my breast seems to be filling better now too. I do think that teething has be playing a small roll in this problem. I have tried the teething tabs too nadda there. We had Thanksgiving at my in-laws today and I just made sure to stay away from things that may make my milk taste different like olives, cranberry sauce, yams and the stuffing. Just turkey with gravy, potato's and rolls with butter. I think I may just need to be more aware of what I eat. My baby has always been on the more sensitive side just thought and hoped that it wouldn't happen with the food I ate.